United Utilities commits over £100 million in response to Fleetwood incident

United Utilities has committed more than £100 million in response to an incident at Fleetwood Wastewater Treatment Works in 2023.

After pleading guilty to five offences related to breaches of environmental permits at Preston Magistrates Court today, the company said the investment reflected its commitment to putting things right and delivering lasting benefits for the local communities that were impacted.

As part of that commitment, United Utilities is funding a number of local projects, including £1.5 million towards a new public paddling pool and splash park in Fleetwood.

The incident occurred when a treated wastewater pipe leaving Fleetwood burst nine metres below ground, affecting the site's ability to treat flows at full capacity. 

During the repair period, there were occasions when storm overflows along the Fylde coast operated outside of their permit conditions while treatment capacity was restored.

In response, more than 400 United Utilities employees and specialist contractors worked around the clock to maintain wastewater services, minimise environmental impacts and repair the damaged infrastructure.

The company spent more than £38 million in the initial incident response - including a £250,000 donation to Blackpool Council to provide immediate support to the tourism industry.  A further £66 million is being invested replacing the treated wastewater pipe with a new permanent solution to increase long-term infrastructure resilience in the area.  The project is expected to be completed by November.  

In addition to the new public paddling pool and splashpark, United Utilities will also fund the refurbishment of the Fleetwood Marine Lake, used by open-water swimmers, and contribute to facility upgrades for the Fleetwood Beach Wheelchair Charity.

Chris Borradaile, Director for Wastewater Services, said: "We want to reiterate our sincere and unreserved apologies for this incident and the harm and disruption it caused. We accept responsibility for what happened and recognise that we fell short of the standards our customers and communities rightly expect.

“Since then, our focus has been on putting things right. We have committed more than £100 million to our response, including a permanent engineering solution to increase the resilience of our infrastructure, which is on track to be delivered three years earlier than would normally be expected for a project of this scale.

“Following consultation with local representatives, we are also investing in a range of community projects that will deliver lasting benefits for the people of Fleetwood and the Fylde coast.” 

The projects that will benefit from funding include:

Tourism donation: £250,000 donation to Blackpool Council provided immediate support to the tourism industry

Fleetwood: Accessible Public Paddling Pool and Splashpark

United Utilities is providing around £1.5 million towards a new fully accessible, free-to-use splash park for local families and visitors. Designed with input from local representatives and informed by community feedback, the facility will create an inclusive recreational space for residents and tourists. Subject to planning approval, it is expected to open next year.

Fleetwood Marine Lake

The company is investing £300,000 towards improvements at Fleetwood Marine Lake, helping to enhance water quality and support swimming, triathlon and other water-based activities. The works are expected to be completed by January 2027.

Fleetwood Beach Wheelchair Charity

A further £50,000 is being provided to support improvements to the charity's facilities, helping strengthen its long-term sustainability and ensuring it can continue providing an important service that improves beach access for people with disabilities and mobility challenges.